2026/2027 Global High School Fashion & Design Competition Charter

I. Competition Name

2026/2027 “中华杯” 高中生国际时尚与设计大赛

2026/2027 Global High School Fashion & Design Competition

II. Background

Founded in 1995, the China Cup International Fashion Design Competition is one of China’s long-standing and influential fashion design competitions. Based in Shanghai with a global outlook, China Cup has been committed to promoting exchange among Chinese design, youth creativity, fashion education, and industry resources.

In 2026, marking its 30th anniversary, China Cup launched a dedicated high school division for young creators for the first time. The inaugural event was held as part of the China Cup series on the official AW2026 Shanghai Fashion Week calendar. It attracted students from schools in China and overseas, with outstanding works from the Fashion Design, Fashion Illustration, and Fashion Accessories tracks presented on the Shanghai Fashion Week stage through a professional runway show, exhibition display, and award ceremony.

Building on the first edition, the 2026/2027 Global High School Fashion & Design Competition will be further upgraded. In addition to the three existing tracks—Fashion Design, Fashion Illustration, and Fashion Accessories—the new season introduces Digital Character & Virtual Fashion Design. The competition will also further enhance its online registration, submission, school coordination, judging management, and communications mechanisms, while continuing to connect school-based creative education, international art and design education, portfolio development, industry showcase opportunities, and public visibility.

III. Purpose

The competition aims to identify and support young design talent at secondary-school level worldwide who demonstrate creativity, aesthetic judgment, cultural awareness, and future-oriented thinking.

Through fashion and design, the competition encourages students to explore self-expression, cultural heritage, material experimentation, digital creativity, social observation, and sustainability. It also encourages schools to integrate the competition process with curriculum design, student clubs, project-based learning, campus exhibitions, and art-and-design pathway guidance, helping to build a sustainable ecosystem for youth fashion and design education.

IV. Positioning

The competition is positioned as a professional fashion and design competition platform for secondary-school students worldwide:

1. To provide students with a complete creative journey from inspiration research and design expression to portfolio development and public presentation.

2. To leverage high-profile platforms such as Shanghai Fashion Week, enabling student works to enter professional runway, exhibition, and industry communication settings.

3. To connect schools, teachers, industry judges, international institutions, art education organizations, and partners, promoting meaningful collaboration between school-based creative education and fashion industry resources.

4. To establish an open and internationally accessible entry point for students, schools, and partner organizations in China and abroad through bilingual registration and communications systems.

V. Competition Highlights and Participant Opportunities

1. A Professional International Stage at Shanghai Fashion Week

The final round will continue to be presented in connection with Shanghai Fashion Week-related platforms. Fashion Design works may be staged on a professional runway and presented by models. Fashion Illustration, Fashion Accessories, and digital/virtual works will be showcased through exhibition displays, digital presentations, on-site video, or online work archives, subject to venue conditions and competition arrangements.

2. A Complete Participation Pathway for Portfolio Development

The competition values not only final awards, but also the full creative process through which students develop their work—from inspiration research, concept development, and visual expression to work refinement and public presentation. Participation materials may become an important part of students’ future art and design portfolios, personal statements, interview preparation, and growth records.

3. Professional Judges and Industry Resources

The competition will continue to invite experts from art, fashion design, fashion education, brands, media, leading companies, and international institutions to join the judging and support panel, allowing student works to be reviewed through professional perspectives aligned with industry and institutional expectations.

4. Awards, Certificates, and Promotion Support

Award-winning students may receive certificates of participation and achievement, trophies, cash awards, and selected benefits provided by partner organizations. Outstanding works and award-winning students may be featured through the official WeChat Official Account, WeChat Channels, Xiaohongshu, official website portfolio archive, school follow-up visits, video interviews, written interviews, and media coverage.

5. School Organization and Teacher Recognition

For schools that actively organize student participation, submit high-quality entries, and demonstrate strong coordination with the competition, the Organizing Committee will continue to present Outstanding Organization Awards.

For teachers who provide meaningful guidance during students’ creative development and competition participation, the Organizing Committee will present related Outstanding Mentor honors.

VI. Organizing Structure

Advisory Organization: Organizing Committee of the China Cup Fashion Design Competition

Organizers: Shanghai Fashion Industry Development Center; Shanghai Garment Trade Association

Executive Organizers: Shanghai International Fashion Education Center; GlobalStudyHub 汇学荟

VII. Eligibility

The competition is open to secondary-school students in China and abroad. Eligible participants are:

• Students in Grades 8-12 or equivalent academic stages in China or abroad.

For students enrolled in special international curricula, overseas curricula, or equivalent academic stages, the Organizing Committee may confirm eligibility on a case-by-case basis.

VIII. Competition Tracks

The competition is planned to include four tracks.

1. Fashion Design

This track is open to original fashion design works. Students are encouraged to develop a complete design expression through theme concepts, cultural research, creative imagination, textile and material exploration, and personal interpretation.

Submissions should demonstrate clear fashion design thinking and are encouraged to balance wearability, experimentation, runway impact, and portfolio completeness.

2. Fashion Illustration

This track is open to fashion-themed illustration, visual storytelling, styling concepts, and image-based expression. Works may be completed through hand drawing, digital painting, mixed media, collage, printmaking, or other approaches.

Submissions should demonstrate an understanding of fashion language, character styling, visual narrative, composition, color style, and contemporary expression.

3. Fashion Accessories

This track is open to bags, jewelry, headwear, footwear, body installations, and other fashion accessories that can be worn or displayed.

Submissions should consider body scale, material selection, structure and craft, wearing methods, styling language, and scenario-based presentation. Students are encouraged to explore new possibilities between artistic expression and practical feasibility.

4. Digital Character & Virtual Fashion Design

This newly added track focuses on virtual characters, digital characters, game or animation characters, virtual idols, AI-era digital personas, and future-facing fashion styling design.

Submissions may be developed around an original virtual character or digital character, including styling concepts, clothing system, accessories system, character story, application scenarios, and visual presentation. Students are encouraged to explore fashion design, character design, digital painting, 3D modeling, and dynamic presentation.

This track emphasizes original character development, fashion styling logic, and visual communication potential. The use of digital tools for modeling, rendering, layout, and dynamic presentation is supported.

IX. Timeline

X. Registration

The competition uses the official online registration system for registration, information submission, work upload, status tracking, and follow-up notifications.

Official Registration Portal: https://register.globaldesignhub.cn/

Official Information Channels: China Cup official platforms, GlobalStudyHub platforms, and other channels designated by the Organizing Committee

Contact Email: info.chinacup@globalstudyspace.com

XI. Fees

The competition will follow the fee structure of the inaugural edition. The preliminary registration fee is RMB 750 per participant per track.

Fees are divided into the following two categories:

• Preliminary Registration Fee: RMB 750 per participant per track. This fee covers the registration system, material review, judging organization, competition communications, and related operating costs.
• Finalist Participation Fee: charged only to finalists who confirm participation in the final round. The fee is RMB 3,800 per participant for the Fashion Design track, and RMB 1,800 per participant for the Fashion Illustration, Fashion Accessories, and Digital Character & Virtual Fashion Design tracks. The fee covers actual final-round costs, including showcase presentation, venue, runway, models, hair and makeup, exhibition setup, work display, judging, and the award ceremony.

XII. Preliminary Round Submission Requirements

Preliminary Round submissions are primarily completed online. All tracks must submit original work materials, a work description, and necessary author information. The work description may be in Chinese or English.

1. General Requirements

1. Submitted works must be original works created by the student.

2. Please organize the main work materials into one PDF of no more than 30 pages.

3. Participants must declare AI usage in the registration system. Fashion Design, Fashion Illustration, and Fashion Accessories must not use AI in the creative process or submitted materials. For Digital Character & Virtual Fashion Design, any AI assistance must be disclosed with the tools used, stages involved, and scope of assistance.

4. Accepted formats: the main work must be submitted as a PDF. Each file must be under 80 MB. Up to 3 files may be uploaded. Supplementary videos must be in MP4 or MOV format and must be under 3 minutes. Additional process records, dynamic presentations, or supplementary notes may be uploaded.

5. Please retain high-resolution files, sketches, layer files, model files, or process records for originality checks if requested.

2. Track-Specific Preliminary Round Materials

Fashion Design: Submit a design proposal, including inspiration, theme concept, design sketches, renderings, and other relevant materials.

Fashion Illustration: Submit a set of three fashion-themed illustration works. Hand-drawn work, digital painting, printmaking, and other creative forms are accepted. Please include creative notes, inspiration, character/styling settings, or a series narrative.

Fashion Accessories: Submit an accessories design proposal, including inspiration, structural sketches, material ideas, how the accessory is worn, styling renderings, and feasibility notes.

Digital Character & Virtual Fashion Design: Submit an original virtual character or digital character setting, including inspiration, character background story, character profile, character styling design drafts, and dynamic display, application scene display, or related notes. Video animation is not required for the Preliminary Round submission.

XIII. Final Submission Requirements

Finalists must complete final-round confirmation, work refinement, physical or digital work submission, and the final-stage online work presentation/interview in accordance with notifications from the Organizing Committee.

1. Fashion Design

Submit one to two complete finished garments, together with a design statement of no more than 500 Chinese characters or equivalent length and final renderings. The design statement is recommended to include the work title, source of inspiration, material selection, production process, overall styling features, wearing method, and presentation description.

The final presentation will take the form of a professional runway show. The Organizing Committee will coordinate models, hair and makeup, runway movement, and presentation format according to on-site conditions.

2. Fashion Illustration

Submit a series of three complete illustration works. Participants are recommended to complete printing, mounting, or unified display specifications in accordance with Organizing Committee requirements, and to submit a creative statement of no more than 500 Chinese characters or equivalent length, together with complete digital files.

The final presentation is expected to take the form of an exhibition display, with installation arranged by the Organizing Committee according to venue conditions.

3. Fashion Accessories

Submit one to two complete physical accessories under the same theme, together with a creative statement of no more than 500 Chinese characters or equivalent length and final renderings. Works should take into account transportation, display, safety, and wearing/display conditions, and should avoid materials or structures that are overly fragile or unsuitable for public display.

4. Digital Character & Virtual Fashion Design

Submit final digital presentation materials, including standard character sheets, clothing and accessories settings, application-scenario presentation, character story statement, process materials, originality statement, and an approximately 30-second dynamic presentation file. Subject to on-site conditions, the Organizing Committee may present works through digital screens, exhibition screens, dynamic videos, poster displays, or online work pages.

Participants in this track must ensure that they have the necessary legal rights or licenses for all software, materials, models, fonts, images, music, and other resources used in their submissions.

XIV. Originality, Copyright, and AI Use Boundaries

1. Submitted works must be original student works. Plagiarism, misappropriation, use of others’ works, or infringement of third-party intellectual property rights, portrait rights, trademark rights, or other lawful rights is strictly prohibited.

2. The Fashion Design, Fashion Illustration, and Fashion Accessories tracks may not use any AI tools or AI functions in the creation, organization, or production of evaluation materials. It is prohibited to use AI to generate, modify, extend, or assist in completing design drawings, illustrations, accessories proposals, renderings, work statements, creative explanations, process materials, or any other materials submitted for evaluation.

3. The Fashion Design, Fashion Illustration, and Fashion Accessories tracks may use conventional drawing, photography, scanning, layout, retouching, patternmaking, modeling, or presentation software to organize submission materials, provided that no AI functions within such software are used. AI may not be used for ideation, image editing, inpainting, outpainting, visual-effect generation, or text writing.

4. Digital Character & Virtual Fashion Design permits the use of digital tools and AI-assisted expression. However, the core work must be student-led, including character development, story background, fashion and accessories styling, style direction, color system, and final creative judgment.

5. If AI tools are used in Digital Character & Virtual Fashion Design to assist with visual sketches, dynamic presentation, scene simulation, rendering effects, motion references, or other presentation materials, participants must truthfully disclose the tools used, the stages in which they were used, and the scope of assistance in their submission materials.

6. Participants should retain records of their creative process. When necessary, the Organizing Committee has the right to request supplementary sketches, process drafts, layer files, modeling files, production records, prompt records, software project files, or other evidence of originality.

7. If a work is found to involve plagiarism, third-party production, infringement, unauthorized AI use, AI-generated core work misrepresented as original, or false information, the Organizing Committee has the right to cancel the participant’s qualification for evaluation, finalist selection, awards, or exhibition. If certificates, awards, cash prizes, or related benefits have already been issued, the Organizing Committee has the right to revoke or reclaim them.

XV. Evaluation Mechanism

The competition is expected to combine preliminary evaluation with final-round evaluation.

In the preliminary stage, the jury will conduct a comprehensive review based on online submission materials, considering concept, originality, completeness of expression, track relevance, and growth potential. Finalists will be selected from the top 40% of valid entries in each track.

In the final stage, the jury will conduct comprehensive scoring based on physical works, digital presentations, creative statements, online work presentations/interviews, on-site presentation, and track-specific criteria. The online work presentation/interview will primarily examine the participant’s understanding of the work concept, creative process, materials and craft, styling logic, originality, and presentation. According to the needs of each track, the Organizing Committee may invite industry experts, institutional representatives, media representatives, or partner representatives to participate in judging, observation, or special award recommendations.

Evaluation results will be announced through official channels after confirmation by the Organizing Committee.

XVI. Awards

1. Regular Track Awards

The competition is expected to present regular awards by track, including Gold Award, Silver Award, Bronze Award, and Excellence Award. Special awards may also be added according to participation scale and evaluation results.

The finalist rate is 40% of valid entries in each track. Finalists will be eligible for the Excellence Award or above. Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards will be further selected from finalist works, with final award levels subject to the results announced by the Organizing Committee.

Regular awards will be determined based on the total number of valid participants in each track and final evaluation ranking:

• Gold Award: 3 recipients per track;
• Silver Award: 10 recipients per track;
• Bronze Award: final ranking within the top 30% of total participants and not awarded Gold or Silver;
• Excellence Award: finalist works, namely final ranking within the top 40% of total participants and not awarded Gold, Silver, or Bronze.

The above quotas and proportions are calculated independently for each track. Finalists will be eligible for the Excellence Award or above. Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Excellence Awards correspond to the highest award determined by the participant’s final evaluation ranking and will not be awarded repeatedly.

2. Special Awards

The Organizing Committee will add the following special awards according to the characteristics of the submitted works:

• Future Innovation Award
• Eastern Aesthetic Expression Award
• Sustainable Design Award
• Digital Fashion Innovation Award
• Starlight Concept Award
• Best Stage Presentation Award
• Best Material Experimentation Award
• Best Communication Potential Award

Special awards may be recommended by the jury, partner institutions, brand partners, media partners, or the Organizing Committee.

3. School and Teacher Awards

The Organizing Committee will continue to present Outstanding Organization Awards, Outstanding Mentor Awards, and related honors.

Outstanding Organization Awards will be granted to schools or organizations that actively organize student participation, submit high-quality works, and demonstrate strong coordination with the competition.

Outstanding Mentor Awards will be granted to teachers who make meaningful contributions to students’ creative development, course guidance, competition organization, and work refinement.

4. Participation and Award Benefits

All participants will receive participation certificates issued by the Organizing Committee and access to public-interest guidance lectures during the competition process. All participants will have the opportunity to join the China Cup Young Talent Club and access opportunities such as volunteer activities, internships, and practical experiences.

Award-winning participants may receive award certificates and trophies issued by the Organizing Committee, as well as cash awards and scholarships provided by relevant supporting organizations. They may also have opportunities for official platform interviews, work presentation, WeChat Official Account, WeChat Channels, Xiaohongshu promotion, official website portfolio archive display, and recommendations to partner institutions or brand activities.

XVII. Partners

Starlight Strategic Partner: